Salim Mehajer's lawyers are smashed by a judge for turning up late to court as he faces claims he staged a car crash to avoid facing trial for bashing a taxi driver
- Salim Mehajer's lawyers told off by judge for turning up late to court on Thursday
- Case due for mention in relation to an allegedly staged crash in October 2017
- Had been on his way to court to face charges of allegedly assaulting a taxi driver
- Mehajer currently behind bars for trying to influence local government election
A judge has angrily laid down the law to the solicitors of disgraced former Auburn deputy mayor and property developer Salim Mehajer after they turned up late for court.
His case was due for mention at Parramatta District Court on Thursday morning in relation to a 2017 car crash in western Sydney that police allege was staged.
But the case was delayed when Mehajer's lawyers hadn't arrived by 9.30am, which prompted an angry response from Judge Andrew Colefa, news.com.au reported.
Disgraced former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer was on his way to court to face assault charges when he was involved in a car crash in Lidcombe, which resulted in being taken to hospital
'You weren't here at 9.30am when I called for the list,' he said.
'Yes, your honour I was a few minutes late,' one of Mehajer's solicitors responded.
'That's right, because we start at 9.30am,' he said. 'You are here now, but the crown prosecutor isn't here and I'm not dealing with the matter in the absence of the crown prosecutor.
'When the prosecutor is able to return from her legitimate absence (assisting a jury in a separate trial) the matter can be mentioned.'
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Salim Mehajer (pictured) had to be freed from his car by firefighters and taken to hospital following the allegedly staged crash in October 2017
Mehajer is currently serving an 11-month jail sentence for trying to influence a local government election and is due to be released later this month.
Thursday's case for mention was in relation to an allegedly staged car crash involving Mehajer and another vehicle in Lidcombe in western Sydney in October 2017.
He was trapped in his Mercedes for 20 minutes.
Photos from the scene show him being pulled from the vehicle and placed into a neck brace, before being treated for neck pain and taken to Westmead Hospital.
His passenger and the occupants of the Mitsubishi - two women, aged 31 and 32 - were not reported to have been injured during the incident.
Salim Mehajer rose to fame in 2015 following the lavish wedding to bride Aysha.
The disgraced former councillor had been on his way to Downing Centre Local Court to face charges of assaulting a taxi driver outside The Star Casino six months prior.
Police allege he staged the crash to avoid standing trial for the alleged assault.
They also allege Mehajer insured his Mercedes AMG just days prior to the crash for $156,780, well above the $95,000-$125,000 market value, news.com.au reported.
Mehajer was later charged with perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to cheat and defraud over the crash.
Who is Salim Mehajer?
Former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has never been far from controversy
2009: Mehajer is convicted of possessing or attempting to possess a 'prescribed restricted substance' and of possessing a police uniform. The convictions are later overturned on appeal.
March 2011: Mehajer unsuccessfully runs as an independent member of the Legislative Assembly for Auburn at the NSW state election.
He is subsequently investigated by the Election Funding Authority of New South Wales, which did not take any action against him.
January 2012: Mehajer loses control of his $300,000 Ferrari and injures a mother and daughter in Sydney's west.
He is convicted of negligent driving and sentenced to 150 hours community service. The conviction is later overturned on appeal.
September 2012: Mehajer is elected as an independent councillor for the City of Auburn and later elected to deputy mayor.
February 2013: His construction firm SM Project Developments is forced into liquidation by the ATO over unpaid taxes.
February 2014: A property owned by Mehajer in Lidcombe is damaged by a suspicious fire.
June 2014: He is suspended from civic office for a month by the Division of Local Government for failing to disclose his business and property interests.
The punishment is overturned in December.
August 2015: The then deputy mayor of Auburn marries his partner Aysha in the so-called 'wedding of the century'.
Mehajer is fined $220 by Auburn council over the closure of Frances Street, Lidcombe. A petition is launched to have him sacked over the wedding.
October 2015: Several contractors launch legal action over allegedly unpaid debts, including a stonemason who installed a staircase at his Lidcombe home.
The same month, he is pulled over twice in less than half-an-hour behind the wheel of an allegedly unregistered Ferrari.
September 2015: Mehajer is re-elected as deputy mayor of Auburn, despite the petition demanding his sacking.
October 2015: He reveals that he hopes to one day work his way to 'the top spot' in federal politics.
November 2015: Mehajer announces he wants to study medicine and become a mental health specialist - as he tells fellow councillors he had stood down as director from six of his seven development companies.
The same month, he is forced to defend allegations he intimidated the father of a Lindt Cafe siege survivor.
December 2015: The Australian Federal Police investigate Mehajer over allegations he forged documents to rig the 2012 Auburn City Council election.
January 2016: He is suspended from civic office for four months for failing to disclose his financial interest in a property.
It was found he voted on changes which added $1million to its value.
July 2016: Mehajer is reportedly investigated by police after he allegedly transferred $20million to Lebanon.
The same month, he is told he must stay at least 50 metres away from his wife Aysha until at least 17 August after police took out an AVO on her behalf.
August 2016: Mehajer refuses to reveal who videos allegedly containing threats of sexual abuse and death threats - made by him - were intended for.
September 2016: He is banned from managing corporations for three years after losing an appeal against a ruling made by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
November 2016: Mehajer is publicly arrested by local police in the Spanish party island of Ibiza after an argument with a taxi driver.
April 2017: Mehajer is arrested and charged after assaulting a taxi driver outside The Star casino in Sydney.
Just hours later, he is charged with assault after slamming Channel Seven reporter Laura Banks' hand in a car door.
June 2017: Mehajer's sister Fatima pleads guilty to 77 charges of electoral fraud relating to the 2012 Auburn City Council election.
The same month, his property development companies, Sydney Project Group and SET Services, are placed in the hands of administrators.
September 2017: Mehajer is accused of manipulating the courts over the approval of his plans for a western Sydney shopping mall and apartment block.
October 2017: He is hit with a $1million bill after allegedly failing to pay for work on his Lidcombe 'marble palace' home.
The same month, Mehajer is rushed to hospital after being involved in a car crash on his way to a court hearing over the taxi driver incident.
Also in October, a phone recording is leaked in which Mehajer allegedly threatens to rape a custom car mechanic.
November 2017: Police raid the Mehajer's home as part of an investigation into the alleged staging of the car crash on the way to court.
Mehajer is arrested and charged with breaching an AVO preventing him from seeing his estranged wife Aysha Learmonth.
February 2018: Mehajer is found guilty of assaulting female TV reporter Laura Banks with a car door outside a Sydney police station last year.
He is also handed a three-year good behaviour bond and ordered to undergo anger management counselling after pleading guilty over the taxi driver assault.
March 20, 2018: Mehajer is declared bankrupt by a Federal Circuit Court judge after one of his companies failed to pay a debt of over $200,000 to its creditors.
May 17, 2018: Mehajer is given an 18-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to intimidating his estranged wife.
June 22, 2018: Mehajer is ordered to serve 11 months behind bars for electoral fraud. His sister Fatima is given a two-month suspended sentence.
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